Trump Wins Again

Before the Nevada Caucus yesterday, there was definitely less excitement and anticipation, and instead, there was a feeling of dread. South Carolina’s results were fortuitous for many people: Trump will win the nomination. Despite Governor Haley and Senator Tim Scott campaigning for Rubio, despite Cruz powering through with the Evangelicals, Trump once again won the state. Any theories that New Hampshire was a fluke were busted, and after Nevada, thrown completely out the window.

A hard truth that many Republicans refuse to believe has hit them smack in the face. For years, there have been factions within the Republican Party. Since the formation of the Tea Party, which was formed under a Republican president, the biggest fight for GOP lawmakers has been with each other. A witch hunt has formed for those who are not “true conservatives,” and those whom are not part of the Tea Party, promises all of their followers that this is just a passing phase. There are articles stating that the Tea Party movement is just a temporary uprising, and in the end, will calm back down and the party can continue as usual. But from this election, this theory could not be further from the truth.

Trump came in and immediately addressed all the issues that Republicans were afraid to touch upon. Because of the different opinions, and because of the media’s reaction, everyone stayed away from immigration. This topic is where Trump made his name, promising large crowds he would deport every illegal immigrant and build a wall. Jaws dropped, fingers pointed at him as a radical, but the result was a number one poll place. Trump, who many have noted may not even be a Republican, saw that this powerful group of people were no longer just a “group,” and instead, were the party as a whole. He told them exactly what they wanted to hear, he became their champion. As someone who has never been a politician, and who has made billions of dollars, he totally fit the part. To add to it, he was fearless, and went up against powerhouses like Fox News. The more Trump said outrageous statements, the more media coverage he got, and the more followers he gained. In a race where everyone fought to get their voices and their ideas heard, Trump was by far the loudest in the room. For his offensive comments? Either the person thinks he cannot actually be serious, or maybe, they secretly agree with him.

So now, we are at a crossroads in the race. The “establishment” can no longer turn a blind eye to Trump, and refuse to give him the attention he deserves as this point. They want to continue to put their heart and their faith in Rubio, to believe that he is the one who is the next “Reagan,” and can bring people together, but the numbers say otherwise. If any other candidate won three states, it would be considered a done deal. But for Trump, the result right now is pure panic. There will have to be some major shifts, some dramatic events, to dethrone Trump at this point. But after New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada, it does not look like it will happen.

The Republican lawmakers that hate Trump so much have to take acknowledge him as a real candidate at this point. In a democratic process, the people have spoken, whether you agree with what they say or not.

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One Comment

Would it be fair to say that Ted Cruz is, if not equally, then just as importantly out of step with the GOP as Trump? Given this contention, I would conclude that he is just as responsible for Trump’s success as Trump himself, drawing hardened, issues-driven GOP base supporters who understand that Trump has many centrist and leftist ideas. These supporters are infatuated with Cruz, but would settle for Rubio.

Being a society short on mental energy, we look to the media to deliver us succinct narratives totally capable of forming defensible thought positions. In the case of Cruz and Rubio, each candidate anchors the other to a boring, momentum-less position of “other,” whereas if Cruz were eliminated, Rubio would not only pick up the majority of his supporters, but also a sizable chunk of short-sighted and fickle current Trump supporters who have been riding the wave of excitement of something new and different.

Trump, having been a front-runner for the better part of a year now, is in a position to be up-ended by a new “new and different,” given the goldfish timeline of the average American political hobbyist.

Similarly, if Joe Biden were to run for president, this would actually be disastrous for Bernie Sanders rather than Hilary Clinton. Bernie’s current success is largely due to… his success… or more specifically, his success contrasted against it’s likelihood. People want to participate in something exciting, they love a darkhorse (but a darkhorse must convince us of a chance to win). This momentum is his most powerful asset.

So, to the point – should Ted Cruz drop out of the race, and do establishment Republicans have the clout to coerce him to do so?